Martiny returns to Senate

State Sen. Danny Martiny was welcomed back to the Louisiana Senate today after seeking cancer treatment at Houston’s M.D. Anderson Medical Center.

“Coming face-to-face with your own mortality is not something any of us anticipate,” Martiny said as the chamber took a brief break from legislation. “I’ll tell you something, prayers work.”

Martiny, a Metairie lawyer and legislative Republican leader, said he tried to keep spirits up following his diagnosis and joked that he would like a potentially sympathy-swaying do-over on some of the bills he backed this session.

Martiny, 62, said the cancer is limited to his left leg and he is slated for another procedure Wednesday to remove it.

He has been a legislator since 1994, winning election first to a seat in the House. He is in his second term in the Senate.